KYT
Registered
I wanted to eliminate the stock shovel on my new K8, but I didn't want to destroy anything. I also didn't want to have to buy anything either.
I can't bring myself to purchase a $100+ piece of sheet metal pre-cut and bent just to hang my license plate.
So I made my own bracket using only parts from my ride.
I cut nothing, and everything can be put back exactly the way it came originally if needed.
For this you'll need a couple things:
The stand-offs from the front wheel reflectors
The brackets and hardware from the rear tail reflectors
The plate bracket on the stock shovel
10mm open end wrench
pliers/channel locks
Phillips screw driver
Take off the back seat/cowl, disconnect the white connector in the left side of the tail, that goes to the license plate light. Then take out the 4 bolts holding the shovel on. Pull the plastic down in the back right behind the tail lens, you'll see a cable tie on the left holding the license light wire in place. You'll have to cut the tie to get the the shovel off. Take the license plate bracket off and set it to the side with all its pieces.
I found it was easiest to take the 2 push snap things on either side under the tail out first. The reflectors have 2 bolts, 2 nuts, and 2 washers on each bracket holding them in. The nuts are inside the tail, and you can't reach them with your hand from the rear seat area. Nuts are 10mm, bolts are phillips head. Separate the side plastics from the underside enough to get the wrench in there and hold the nut in place while you back the bolts out. Set the brackets and bits to the side. You won't need the reflector itself, or the little nut holding it to the bracket. Don't forget to put the snap things back.
Use the 10mm wrench to get the front wheel reflectors started/off. Again, don't need the reflectors, just the 2 stand-offs.
I took all my parts inside, and sat on the couch to play with them with out getting eaten by skeeters!
I turned the scoop upside down, and just used the holes as guides.
This is what I came up with:
I highly recommend mounting your license plate to the bracket first! Just to line up the stand-offs, its a real pain once everything is together.
This works fine with a KY plate, if your state has a size that is more narrow, then this isn't going to work. But if its bigger, shouldn't be a problem unless its larger than the bracket.
The nuts that were holding the rear reflector brackets to the body happen to fit the ends of the stand-offs from the front. Use one of the washers from the license plate bracket, between the stand-off and the bracket, use a nut on the back. A washer under the nut isn't necessary, but if you have some extras, you can use them. To hold the plate to the stand-off, I used the little red reflector bolt things that came on the bike holding the temp tag on.
I know they are really cheap if you get them at autozone, so if you didn't get any with your bike, sorry. I did, so I used them. They just so happen to have the same size threads as the other reflectors! YAY
Used them to hold the plate to the stand-offs. Just finger tighten everything down, then use the pliers and the 10mm wrench to tighten the stand-off to the bracket. Then you can take the plate off until the end.
I put the 2 fairing bolts back in the tail closest to the rear lens. Just so I don't lose them. Put the other 2 in my tool box with all the other misc. bolts and pieces.
Use the longer silver phillips bolts from the license bracket to attach the rear reflectors to the underside of the tail in the holes from the 2 furthest shovel bolts.
Turn them so they curve towards the rear and point inwards.. don't know how else to explain it. use 2 of the black washers from the rear reflectors, on each bolt between the bracket and the plastic. There's a ridge on the inside that bracket will get raised over. Same for both sides.
Then use the shorter reflector bracket bolts to attach the license plate bracket to the reflector brackets.
Should now look like this!
Except your's will have the stand-offs on it if you opted to do that first as I suggested lol. If you did it'll look like this, if not, make it look like this:
Looks like this with the plate on:
Now you may be wondering about clearance. I drove up and down the apt. complex street going over speed bumps. This was not fun, but I did it just for you! 15mph over a rough speed bump did not make the tire contact the plate at stock suspension settings. It does, however make my ass and feet leave the seat and pegs.
There was about an inch gap between the top of the plate and the underside of the tail. The plate also kinda angles inward.
So I took the 2 bolts holding the whole setup to the tail out, don't lose the washers! Use your pliers and bend the brackets upwards just a little. Just a little brings the plate up almost an inch, and gives it about 15-20 degrees angle away from the tire.
Its not pointing outwards by any means, but unless the bike is lowered, or you've got a lot of human weight on it, I doubt the plate will touch the tire.
Though you can always bend those brackets some more if you like, or add an extra washer. The only thing I used that wasn't from Suzuki, was 2 washers I put between the plate and the stand-offs. I didn't like how it wiggled just a little. I just have 2 short bolts and 2 nuts left.
And there you have it! Nothing is cut and everything can be put back if needed. Thoughts and comments?
I can't bring myself to purchase a $100+ piece of sheet metal pre-cut and bent just to hang my license plate.
So I made my own bracket using only parts from my ride.
I cut nothing, and everything can be put back exactly the way it came originally if needed.
For this you'll need a couple things:
The stand-offs from the front wheel reflectors
The brackets and hardware from the rear tail reflectors
The plate bracket on the stock shovel
10mm open end wrench
pliers/channel locks
Phillips screw driver
Take off the back seat/cowl, disconnect the white connector in the left side of the tail, that goes to the license plate light. Then take out the 4 bolts holding the shovel on. Pull the plastic down in the back right behind the tail lens, you'll see a cable tie on the left holding the license light wire in place. You'll have to cut the tie to get the the shovel off. Take the license plate bracket off and set it to the side with all its pieces.
I found it was easiest to take the 2 push snap things on either side under the tail out first. The reflectors have 2 bolts, 2 nuts, and 2 washers on each bracket holding them in. The nuts are inside the tail, and you can't reach them with your hand from the rear seat area. Nuts are 10mm, bolts are phillips head. Separate the side plastics from the underside enough to get the wrench in there and hold the nut in place while you back the bolts out. Set the brackets and bits to the side. You won't need the reflector itself, or the little nut holding it to the bracket. Don't forget to put the snap things back.
Use the 10mm wrench to get the front wheel reflectors started/off. Again, don't need the reflectors, just the 2 stand-offs.
I took all my parts inside, and sat on the couch to play with them with out getting eaten by skeeters!
I turned the scoop upside down, and just used the holes as guides.
This is what I came up with:
I highly recommend mounting your license plate to the bracket first! Just to line up the stand-offs, its a real pain once everything is together.
This works fine with a KY plate, if your state has a size that is more narrow, then this isn't going to work. But if its bigger, shouldn't be a problem unless its larger than the bracket.
The nuts that were holding the rear reflector brackets to the body happen to fit the ends of the stand-offs from the front. Use one of the washers from the license plate bracket, between the stand-off and the bracket, use a nut on the back. A washer under the nut isn't necessary, but if you have some extras, you can use them. To hold the plate to the stand-off, I used the little red reflector bolt things that came on the bike holding the temp tag on.
I know they are really cheap if you get them at autozone, so if you didn't get any with your bike, sorry. I did, so I used them. They just so happen to have the same size threads as the other reflectors! YAY
Used them to hold the plate to the stand-offs. Just finger tighten everything down, then use the pliers and the 10mm wrench to tighten the stand-off to the bracket. Then you can take the plate off until the end.
I put the 2 fairing bolts back in the tail closest to the rear lens. Just so I don't lose them. Put the other 2 in my tool box with all the other misc. bolts and pieces.
Use the longer silver phillips bolts from the license bracket to attach the rear reflectors to the underside of the tail in the holes from the 2 furthest shovel bolts.
Turn them so they curve towards the rear and point inwards.. don't know how else to explain it. use 2 of the black washers from the rear reflectors, on each bolt between the bracket and the plastic. There's a ridge on the inside that bracket will get raised over. Same for both sides.
Then use the shorter reflector bracket bolts to attach the license plate bracket to the reflector brackets.
Should now look like this!
Except your's will have the stand-offs on it if you opted to do that first as I suggested lol. If you did it'll look like this, if not, make it look like this:
Looks like this with the plate on:
Now you may be wondering about clearance. I drove up and down the apt. complex street going over speed bumps. This was not fun, but I did it just for you! 15mph over a rough speed bump did not make the tire contact the plate at stock suspension settings. It does, however make my ass and feet leave the seat and pegs.
There was about an inch gap between the top of the plate and the underside of the tail. The plate also kinda angles inward.
So I took the 2 bolts holding the whole setup to the tail out, don't lose the washers! Use your pliers and bend the brackets upwards just a little. Just a little brings the plate up almost an inch, and gives it about 15-20 degrees angle away from the tire.
Its not pointing outwards by any means, but unless the bike is lowered, or you've got a lot of human weight on it, I doubt the plate will touch the tire.
Though you can always bend those brackets some more if you like, or add an extra washer. The only thing I used that wasn't from Suzuki, was 2 washers I put between the plate and the stand-offs. I didn't like how it wiggled just a little. I just have 2 short bolts and 2 nuts left.
And there you have it! Nothing is cut and everything can be put back if needed. Thoughts and comments?
